Dispensing container



Nov. 21, 1950 H. c. SCHLOER 2,531,300

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 9. 1949 Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING CONTAINER Henry C. Schloer, Greene, N.Y.

Application June 9, 1949, Serial No. 98,098

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing containers, andmore particularly to an improved dispensing container for dispensingarticles of tubular or rod-like shape, one at a time, from a container.

Among the objects of the invention may be noted the provision of adispensin container characterized by improved design making formanufacturing efiiciency and inexpensive production; the provision of adispensing container of simple, compact construction adapted both forpersonal and public use; the provision of a dispensing containeremploying a minimum of component parts which are so organized as toreduce the overall vertical height, as compared to prior dispensingcontainers; the provision of a dispensing container which may be simplyoperated and which is thoroughly dependable in use; and the provision ofa dispensing container which will eject one of a plurality of tubular orrod-like articles within the container in a satisfactory and practicalmanner without any requirement of the hand coming in contact with theremaining articles in the container.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of the inventionwill be seen from the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawing illustrative of a physical embodiment thereof,wherein- Fig. l is a side elevation of the improved dispensing containeraccordin to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the dispensing containerillustrated in Fig. 1, the view further illustrating the action of theejector unit in ejetcing one of a plurality of articles from thecontainer;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the ejector unit in itsretracted position; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view illustrating the act-on ofthe ejecting pin in engaging one of the articles to be dispensed at thebeginning of the ejecting operation.

A dispensing container according to the invention is shown to comprise abase It), a container shell I I mounted on the base and formingtherewith a conta ner for a plurality of tubular or rod-like articles tobe dispensed, and an ejector unit generally designated I2. As seen inFigs. 2 and 3, the base III is of hollow, open-bottom construction andis preferably bell-shaped as shown for stability. At its upper end, thebase is provided with a cylindrical neck I4 having reduced diameter soas to provide an upwardly facing external shoulder I5, the neck havingexternal threads I6 formed therein during mold 2 ing, casting or in asubsequent machining operation. The base is provided with an invertedconeshaped top wall I! provided in its apex portion with a downwardlydepending boss formation I8 which is drilled or molded to provide avertical through opening I9 disposed on the axis of the base. The openbottom of the base is closed by a closure disk or plate 29 having acentral opening 2I and of substantially larger diameter than the bossopening I9. Preferably, the bottom closure plate 20 has snap fit in thebottom of the base which is provided along its peripheral bottom edgewith a retaining rib 22 for securing the closure plate in position asshown. ,The closure plate 25 may also be held in position by an adhe:sive, or by permanently molding it into place after assembly. Thecontainer shell II is preferably molded from a suitable transparentplastic material in the form of an elongated cylinder whose tubularwallmay have increased thickness toward its open bottom end which iscounterbored or so molded as to provide a short length cylindricalrecess having somewhat greater diameter than the shell proper. The innercircumferential wall of the counterbore is formed in molding or by amachining operation with internal threads 24 mating with the threads I6of the base neck I4. The counterbore provided in the shell terminates atits upper end in an internal shoulder 25, and it is a feature of theinvention that the axial depth of the counterbore mayclosely correspondto the vertical height of the neck I 4 whereby when the container shellII is screwed onto the neck, its lower edge bears on and seals againstthe external shoulder I5 of the base, and also the internal shoulder 25of the shell bears on and seals against the top edge corner or the base.The described arrangement provides smooth surfaces and avoids crevicesbetween the junctures of shell and base in which dirt or otherunsanitary material may accumulate; it also provides smooth externalmerging surfacesbetween shell and base, as indicated in Fig. l, withsimilar sanitary' effect. At its upper end, the container shell II isformed with a conical top wall 25 provided at its central or apexportion with a dispensing opening 21.

The ejector unit I2 is shown to comprise a weightin element 28,preferably in the form of a cylinder of aluminum having substantial diameter, and a small diameter eject ng pin '29 of length as normally toproject Well into the container shell I I, as indicated in Fig. 2.Preferably, the weighting element and ejecting pin may be formedseparately and the pin assembled in the weighting element with a drivefit. This arrangement materially reduces manufacturing cost andmachining time. As seen in Fig. 4, the upper end of the pin is providedwith an inverted coneshaped recess 30 for the purpose to be described,but the shape of the recess, and in fact the design of the point of theejector pin, may be varied according to the requirements of the articlesbeing dispensed.

As seen in Figs/2 and' 3, the weighting element 28 extends through andis guided in the central opening 2| of the bottom closure plate of thebase, and the ejecting pin 29 extends through and is guided in thecentral opening of the conically shaped base top [1. It will be observedthat the axial depth of the boss l8 in which the ejecting pin 29 movesprovides good sliding bearing for the pin. Thus, the base Ill, inadditionto providing a container base, also provides a dual guide forthe ejector unit l2.

Due --to the weight of the ejector unit and its sliding-mountingin thebase, the unit is'adapted to lower'or'retract by gravity relative to thebase and eontainerpwhen the latter are lifted-from ahorizontalsupporting surface such as'a counter, table-or the like. Toprevent complete separationof the ejector unit from the base, theweightlngeleinentfis of the unitis provided at its upper end with aradial flange 32 of substantially greater diameter thanthat of thecentral-opening H o'fthe base closure plate 28. Accordingly, the ejectorunit may move axially downwardly 'relative'to 'thebase to a position inwhich'the flange '32 engages against the uppersurface of the -closureplate 20, the flange :32 then serving,

as a stop which prevents complete separation of ejector unit from base.The axial movement permitted the ejector unit is predetermined inrelation t'othe effective axial length of the ejector pin ZS, the latterhaving length such that when the-stop fiange 32 engages the bottomclosure p-iate zd'the upper recessed end of the ejector pin has recededslightly below the dished or coned top'surface of the base top H, asindii cated in'Fig. 4.

"The describe'darrangement in which the ej e-ctor uliit ina move intoand out of the base, as'distinguis'hed from a. construction in which thebase is made 'su'fficiently deep to completely house theejector unit,results in reduced overall height of the present dispensing container ascompared with-prior containers of like'function. The overalldepth may befurther reduced by providing a cavity 34 in the upper end of theweighting element 28 0f the ejector unit, in which the downwardlydepending boss N3 of the base top'wall is accommodated when the partsare in their normal position f illustrated in Fig. 2.

:In-use, the .acontainer may be'loaded by unscrewing the shell i fromthe base l9, filling the container with a plurality of the articles tobe dispensed, thereuponscrewing the loaded shell onto thebase. Thearticles to be dispensed may be tubular, such as drinking straws, or mayhave rod like form such as tooth-picks, matches, etcetepa. 'Vthenusedto' dispense drinking straws, the axial length of the shell isincreased in proportion to the length of drinking straws ascompared totooth-picks, matches and such articles.

To dispense one of the articles within the container, the base is liftedfrom its supporting surface, withthe result that the ejector unit movesdownwardly relative to base by gravity, to a position in which the'upperend :30 of the ejecting pin 29 recedes slightly into the central openingI9 of the comically shaped base top 21. Due to the conical shape of saidtop, articles within the container tend to converge on the opening 19,and one of said articles will drop slightly into said opening so thatits lower end abuts against the top of the ejecting pin and seats in therecess provided therein. The device is now lowered onto the supportingsurface, with the result that the ejector unit is returned to its normalposition shown in Fig. 2. During such movement, the one article engagedby the upper end of the ejecting pin is propelled upwardly in the shell,and by virtue of the inclination of the conical top wall 26 of the shellis caused to converge on the discharge opening 21, with the result thatthe upper end of the article is positively forced through said openingby an amount such that it may be readily grasped and manually withdrawnfrom the shell.

Without further analysis, it will be seen that thezd'escribed dispensingcontainer of this inventionsachieves:an'article ejecting operation insat isfactcry and thoroughly dependable manner. .It will'also'beobserved that the dispensing-container is characterized by a designmaking for manufactui'in -efiiciency and low cost production. Theoverallheight of the improved dispensing contain er is small as comparedto prior dispensing containers serving similar function, so that whenfor dispensing articles such as tooth-picks and matches, it may be builtto size making it adapted for pocket use. In larger sizes it is adaptedalso for use in public establishments such as lunchrooms, storecounters, and the like, and as an advertising novelty. It'will beunderstood that when the dispensing container of the invention'isemployed for personal use, the ejector unit !2 may be actuated in itsreturn movement by finger'pressure on'the lower end of the unit, ratherthan bringing it against a horizontal supporting surface, such as acounter or table.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionwithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shallbe interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:v

l. A:dispensing container comprising a hollow base having aninvertedconeshaped top wall provided with a central opening and a bottomclosureprovided with a, central opening, an openbottom shellhaving itslower end affixed to the upper portion of the base, the upper end of theshell being conical and having a central dispensing opening, and anejector unit comprising a weighting element movable through and guidedin the central opening of said bottom closure and an ejecting pinprojecting upwardly therefrom and movable through and guided in thecentral opening of said cone-shaped top'wall, said ejector unit beingretractable from a normal position within base-and shell under theinfluence of the weight of the weighting element upon lifting-the basefrom a supportingsurface to a position in which the upper end of theejecting pin recedes aslight distance-into the central opening in saidbase top wall, and being returnable to said normal position upon saidbase being lowered onto said surface.

2. .A dispensing container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ejectorunit is provided with: stop means adapted to cooperate lVl'Ch said:bottom closure in limiting the retracting movement of the ejector unit.

3. A dispensing container comprising a hollow, bell-shaped base having areduced diameter neck separated from the base body by an externalshoulder and an inverted cone-shaped top provided with a centralopening, a closure plate for the open bottom or" the base having acentral opening, a cylindrical container shell having an open bottom anda cone-shaped top provided with a central dispensingopening, the shellbeing provided at its bottom end with a neck-receiving counterboreterminating in an internal shoulder, the depth of the counterborecorresponding to the vertical height of the neck, and said shell beingafiixed to the neck so that its lower terminal edge seats against saidexternal shoulder and so that the upper edge corner of the base closesagainst said internal shoulder of the shell, and an ejector unitcomprising a weighting element movable through and guided in the centralopening of'the base bottom, and an ejecting pin projecting upwardlytherefrom and movable through and guided in the central opening of thebase top, said ejecting unit being retractable from its normal positionin base and shell under the weight of the weighting element upon liftingof the base from a supporting surface to a position in which the uperend of the ejecting pin recedes a slight distance into the centralopening of the base top, and being returnable to said normal positionupon the base being lowered onto said surface.

4. A dispensing container comprising a hollow bell-shaped base having aninverted cone-shaped top wall provided with a downwardly depending forthe open bottom of the base provided with a central opening, an openbottom container shell aifixed to the upper end of the base and having acone-shaped top provided with a central dispensing opening, and anejector unit comprising an elongated weighting element and an axiallydisposed ejecting pin extending upwardly therefrom, said weightingelement being provided in its upper end with an upwardly opening cavityfor normally receiving said downwardly depending boss and with a radialflange iextending from its upper edge, said weighting element andejecting pin being slidably guided in the openings of the closure plateand of said boss, respectively, said flange being operative to engagethe upper surface of said closure plate upon downward movement of theejector unit relative to said base, thereby to prevent physicalseparation of ejector unit from base, the spacing of flange from saidbottom plate and the elTective length of the ejecting pin being suchthat the upper end of said pin recedes a slight distance into theopening of said boss upon the flange engaging said closure plate.

HENRY, C. SCHLOER.

REFERENCES CITED v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,612 Parker"Aug. 13, 1901 922,472 Gleasure May 25, 1909 1,490,892 Rod Apr. 15, 19241,700,519 Sherrill et a] Jan. 29, 1929

